As you know WB had neck surgery a few weeks ago…and my blogging ability has slowed down a bit…but…please keep hanging with me. WB has always said I have at least 10,000 words each day to say and if I were to stop writing…he would go deaf and I would feel awful!!! Don’t give up on HRCG’s slower posts:)

WB and I are survivors and this is October, the one month a year that is all about PINK.

This is the last day of October so I think I will have to carry this on one more month:)

I am way late with this mention….with WB’s surgery I do not know where the last month went??? Hot Rod Cowgirl Ding A Ling:)

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I am a SURVIVOR, so is my Wild Bill…he went through every biopsy…8 of them being diagnosed high risk in 5 years…and then he went through the big one….20 hours of surgery the first 48 hours…believe me he too is a survivor:)

I am modeling for the Pendleton Woolen Mills http://www.pendleton-usa.com/ in the above and below pictures for a local fund-raiser for all kinds of cancer.

I am standing at the end of the fashion show with other cancer survivors and we are one tough bunch!!!

I am praying for all of you on the East Coast of the US. God Bless You and Keep You….know I hold you all tightly in my prayers…I can not imagine what you are going through. Hugs and huge prayers for you.

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Don’t worry your pretty head about your followers following you – you KNOW that we will! You’ve had your hands full lately with WB’s surgery….we “get” that….You made a GREAT model for Pendleton – I remember that jacket in their catalog! October certainly was Breast Cancer Awareness Month but anyone who is a cancer survivor knows that every single day is celebrated as a “survival day”….no matter what kind of cancer they have dealt with or are dealing with. I’m so glad that you had WB to go through your journey with and I had my David. Our “rocks”…..We were so lucky with the storm all things considered here in Virginia but those north of us will be cleaning/clearing and rebuilding for a long tme to come – we pray for them too.

Thank you Pam, I felt bad when I realized I had missed October to bring awareness of all cancers to those early diagnosed etc. You are right on every day and every night…sounds silly but I feel very blessed as it was caught early but that was due to both the Dr. and both Bill and I staying on top of those biopsies….and researching it ourselves helped too. I was blessed with good Dr.’s and Oregon Health and Sciences University and Hospital is an awesome place! Yes we are blessed that our rocks went through it with us and stood by, In doing both mastectomies and then using my tissue to rebuild the breasts….Bill always laughs and tells me he know more about my breasts than I do as he saw the inside of them often when the Dr.’s came to check to be sure the transplanted tissue lived:) So thankful that you are all ok and I will continue to pray for those who lost homes and their loved ones.

Oh, how wonderful that you & WB are both survivors. Two of my nearest and dearest friends are undergoing treatments right now (one had her first treatment yesterday). It is so very, very scary.
You looked like a professional model!
We were very fortunate in our area with the storm. So thankful!

I am relieved that you are all ok….looking at your map caused me great concern as I know it did you too. Bill so far has not actually had cancer but I call him a survivor as the spouse or the loved ones that often go through the cancer with the loved one who is diagnosed it can be very scary for them. I found that as soon as I was diagnosed I went into fight mode…rather than shock or fear…I would get waves of fear but mostly I was in ok well get it out and lets do it right now…for Bill he was right by my side but it was very scary to him and he often would feel alone. As you know he just had heck surgery that took about 3 hours and a total of 4 hours before I saw him. When they did my first surgery they said oh you know probably 8-10 hours at the most….it was 16 hours of surgery and 2 hours in recovery…I can not imagine how he felt as the four hours for me was hell worrying about him. So he is my survivor:) Again I am glad you are all ok and give Sundae a rub on her tummy for me and Minnie:)

I love this post… My wife Linda is a survivor of Colon, Breast and Ovarian cancer, she goes tomorrow for her 3 monthly check up and we are confident she is still clear… today she had here blood drawn at the Oncologist for the 100’s of checks and for the first time in 3 years they have not called for the 3 monthly mammogram, scan from head to foot and x-rays, so the Oncologist must be fairly confident shes OK…
Whilst in the Oncologist department of the hospital to see all the affected sitting waiting their turn is horrifying, but she will go and talk to them all… telling them of her survival and that they should not worry God is with them… it’s so rewarding to see how they all seem to perk up after her words of encouragement… I like to talk to the unaffected partner… they are always left out and very few realise the suffering they go through at the same time… but posts like this prove there is hope for all, and for that I thank you..
Linda also had a rare disease called Onco cytoma, a 9 hour operation had me sitting on the edge of the seat… she has agreed that the worst she is now going to get is an ingrowing toenail… for that I will sympathies, but not have to suffer the anguish of another cancer…. Good luck to you both.. God be with you.. and you will be in my prayers…

Thank you and way to go Linda!!! I applaud you and sending you a big hug right now:) She truly sounds like an angel in sharing her story of hope with those who are so sick….she is an awesome lady:) Yes the unaffected partner is often just kind of out there…I felt bad for BIll many times so I would always pull him into the conversation. As the survivor you go into fight mode and the loved one does not know what to do and they are fearful and rightly so.They told us maybe the surgery would take around 8-10 hours as I had a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction using my own tissue….the surgery was 16 hours long and 2 hours recovery before I saw Bill again….I looked at the clock and said oh its 2:30 in the afternoon so it took about what they said and he said no honey it is 2:30 in the morning of the next day!!! We always tried to find something to laugh about and we both held tightly to God and to each other:) zI will be praying for Linda and for you that the appt. goes perfectly today:) God Bless you both:) Hugs:)

IMHO these are really tough times. I empathize with your situation. So many people must deal with health issues these days. I’m blessed to be 63 and very sound. You wouldn’t recognize me 5 years ago before I change my life to improve my health outlook.

One member of my senior group is facing homelessness in the face. You can’t live in a motel long on Social security. I continue to pray for my East Coast friends. The storm might be past us but the heartache and hardships lie ahead. I will stick with you & your blog. :) – Bob

I am in my 6th year of survival and I feel blessed….it was caught before it was invasive as my Dr. along with Bill and I stayed on top of it as I kept having these biopsies so we knew I was high risk and I had great Dr.’s When I was diagnosed at OHSU 2-9-2006 Bill told me lets cancel going to the Portland Roadster Show….i said what? It was to be our first year at the show and we were taking three customer vehicles that we had built to display our work….well I said no we are going to go and we did! I had the huge surgery a month after the show and it went fine. Hardest part for Bill was the surgery being 16 hours long and 2 in recovery! Since it was not invasive yet and we chose the most proactive thing we could which was a double mastectomy I did not have to do chemo or radiation….my Dr. told me my survival rate now is 99.7!!! So I feel very blessed:) I am glad to hear that you are taking care of yourself:) Seems as we age that is so important:)So sad for the homeless.

That’s the problem with writing short stories and posting them up on a blog. They’re here one day and gone the next. Unless someone goes through the listing of past post, they’ll think I’m pushin’ up daisy’s
I am doing well, I’ve been thinking about turning my stories into an MP3 format and selling them on itunes in the audio book section. I have to do two things first. 1- add a small recording studio in my bedroom and 2- learn how to narrate a book. The twist is I want to make it sound like I’m sitting around a campfire telling the story to others. I need at least a 4 track recorder to add certain sound effect to give it plausibility. Sounds like a campfire, coyote now and then in the distance etc etc. Not for the story but for the campfire atmosphere.
I was wondering what happened to you. So many times folks just up and drop out without a word of goodbye. Glad to see you’re still kickin’ :) JW

Hi there:) I think your idea of the MP3 format for your stories and selling them on iTunes, as well as Kindle would be fantastic! I would seriously like that as I could purchase the book or story and download it my iPod and when I ride my horses or go for a walk etc. I can listen to your story:) Perfect:):):)

Ever since Bill hurt his shoulder July 20th my time has been stretched more as I try to help out more with our business as far as managing it and then he had so many tests and saw lots of Dr.’s and I was the driver as he was on meds before surgery etc. too….now I am trying to get him well…he is probably like you would be and it is hard to keep him in the house being a good boy. Going to the beach for a week was great as he slept and slept….we may have to do that again soon.

No if you do not hear from me for a few days don’t worry I will be back as I love to write and I love to share pictures:) I love the blog too:) I have felt bad about not keeping up with all the blogs I read…if I can find the time to get a post done I am thrilled but I truly miss hearing about everyone’s life and how it is going etc. or looking at the incredible photography and reading short stories told by a cowboy:) So I miss everyone too!

I’d gladly offer a hand to help out with chores but I think you’re a bit far from me. I hope Bill recovers 100%. I know a shoulder is hard at healing and they’re so easy to re injure. Blog when you can, I’ll keep you both in my nightly prayers. Joe

:) Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement:) I feel I was one of the lucky ones as it had not become invasive yet:) Dr. said since we did the most proactive thing we could do my survival rate is 99.7 and I am almost at 7 years:) Wishing you a happy sunny day…..we have clouds and sun, plus it is cold.

Yeah the sunny part an make the cold doable:) Thank you so much:) Growing up I had always wanted to be a model and then life changed direction on my plans so becoming a fashion model never worked out…then I was asked to model for Pendelton Wool at the annual fund raiser for all kinds of cancer and of course I said yes! I loved it:) I modeled for them I think 4 or 5 times….then I got to modle for Hamley’s WWestern Store and that was really fun too as I felt like a cowgirl princess:) Thank you much:) Hugs and prayers always:)

Hi JOhn, thank you for dropping by, it is good to hear from you…..and I will be celebrating my 7th years this year:) Bill’s recovery is much slower and taking lots of time as he is in and ut of the shop too much and not resting enough….go figure! We are looking to hire another employee….we hired an apprentice today…can not believe it is November!

Don’t you dare apologize! :) We’re all here for whenever you want to spill out them 10,000 words or just 1. Be well, both of you and get some rope and tie that man of yours down so he’ll heal darn it!! :)
~d.

Thank you much:) You make me smile:) What is it with men and they will not take care of themselves….I feel like a nag and I am tired of nagging so I like your idea of rope next:) Hugs to you from HRCG:)

Thank you so much:) I enjoyed modeling the clothes and in High School I wanted to model but never got around to it….life and more life sidetracked me so it was fun when they asked me to do it….I also modeling at Hamley’s Western Store which was fun too and I felt like a cowgirl princess for a night…both Pendleton Wool and Hamley’s have amazing clothes:) WB is doing so so but he is the typical man and does too much and then collapses on the weekends….if he can just go to the shop for a couple hors a day it would help him so much. Good to see you too.
Hugs n Love,
HRCG

You are a beautiful woman through and through and carry yourself with class and sass – I love it! Wishing WB a steady healing as he recovers and cheers to you both for inspiring us with your survivor stories.

:) Hugs back to you too MJ:) Wishing you a beautiful day….I just got back into the house from feeding horses…today looks to be partly cloudy but right now sunny. Can not believe this weekend we fall back time wise….I think I am still stuck wondering where summer went…thank you much for your encouraging words:)

Thank you so much cowgirl sister:) It was fun to model and get all gussied up for a night…I seriously do not own many dresses or dress up shoes…I mostly look for longer skirts that I can wear with my boots:) Fortunately living here close to Pendleton affords me to shop at the Pendelton Store and I have some great skirts…and Hamley’s Western Store and Saddle Shop helps me out too. If you ever get to Pendleton, Oregon you have to go to the Pendleton Woolen Mills store and also to Hamley’s…they also have a wonderful incredibly designed restaurant with great food…and then go to the Pendleton Round Up Hall of Fame Museum and tour the rodeo grounds…and let me know and I will give you the guided tour:)